| Level | Item |
| Ref No | OHP/54 |
| Title | Manchester production reunion |
| Date | 7 October 2002 |
| Extent | 1 minidisc, 1 cd, 5 AIFF files (521.9 MB) |
| Creator Name | Plommer; Leslie (1949-); journalist |
| Description | Recorded by Leslie Plommer. Conducted on 7 October 2002 in Manchester. Former printing and production staff discuss their jobs.
Disc 1:
Track 1
00.25 Introduces Diana Towers and Jaki Howes
00.50 Newspaper move to from Cross Street to offices in nearby Deansgate
01.00 Towers began work for the Guardian in 1962 as secretary to Stanley Whitaker
01.15 Following his death she began work for advertising director, Arthur George, who also died shortly after
02.00 Appointed to work for Andy Harvey
02.30 Howes had studied architecture. Prepared newspaper building for her thesis which impressed the Guardian
03.00 Asked to join the newspaper c1969
03.35 Trouble with architects. She spoke to people and prepared layouts for the newspaper
04.15 Howes stayed for two years, buying furniture and organising new offices at Deansgate
Track 2
00.00 Continued discussion of move
00.45 Needs of the journalists
01.00 Poor behaviour of the journalists
01.30 Practical jokes
03.00 Fun at work
03.35 Age of the miniskirt. Female employers not allowed to wear trousers
03.55 Asked permission to wear trousers
04.30 Moved into new offices over one weekend
04.45 Everyone pitching in effort. The Scott family buying sandwiches for workers during the move
05.00 Flirting with labourers
06.30 Cross Street coffin. Mock funeral
Track 3
00.00 Male interviewee discusses typeface on the newspaper
Track 4
00.45 Asks Frank when he joined the newspaper. Frank joined the Guardian in 1946
01.14 Arthur Rigby, overseer in production department
01.35 Frank's role as lino type writer before becoming head printer
03.30 Keen to 'move up' in the newspaper
04.00 Appyling for jobs at the Manchester Guardian and the Manchester Evening News
06.55 Death of head printer who had promised him his job on retirement
08.00 Remembers Peter Japp, copy boy
09.15 Role of head printer
14.00 Making up newspapers
Track 5
00.30 Beginning of speech about Martin Scott
01.20 Continuation of speech
02.00 Legacy of CP Scott maintained through Scott Trust
02.50 Speaking up for Manchester. An important part of the newspapers history
03.45 Reunion. Attempts to group together former production employees
05.50 Ian Ashcroft begins speech about how the company has changed over last 30 years
07.00 Physical changes. Less people in production
07.15 Increased use of technology
08.05 Yet the fundamentals do not change. Tools of trade have changed, but the skills of journalists and photographers remain much the same
10.35 Now a London-based company, rather than Manchester-based
11.00 Family feel of the newspaper
13.18 Change of speaker. Unidentified
13.55 Newspaper losing touch with retired employees
15.35 History of the Guardian being captured by the GNM archive
15.55 Request for interviewees for oral history project
16.40 Celebration of the past
16.55 Memories of 1966 at the Guardian
17.20 Playing bowls at the newspaper
17.30 Remembers the atmosphere at the newspaper when man first walked on the moon in 1969
18.38 Remembers Jack Williams
18.55 Move to Deansgate
19.50 Birt Tench a practical joker
20.00 April fools day practical joke |
| Access Status | Open |
| Access Conditions | Access to recording via GNM Digital Repository |
| Format | Printed document |
| CD recording |
| Minidisc recording |
| Copyright | Guardian News & Media Ltd |
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